


In What Follows

by Bestbuds55



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: AU, Fix It, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Mentions of Death, Reddie, handjob, sad boy saved, showering together, who cares as long as Eddie’s back?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:55:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24932626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bestbuds55/pseuds/Bestbuds55
Summary: Eddie’s dead, and Richie’s ready to throw himself off of that god forsaken bridge because of it. It just wasn’t fair how everything else worked out and he had to just go on pretending like he didn’t die inside the moment Eddie didn’t make it out with him.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another story that seemed necessary to write. I realized I hadn’t done my take on a Reddie after movie fix it yet! Time to change that, I hope you enjoy.

In the week that had followed the battle the Losers had exchanged all possible information and then had gone their separate ways. Even Mike had followed and an ecstatic Bill, who was more than ready to go anywhere's Mike wanted. Everyone had hugged and cried together, but eventually Ritchie was alone.

Richie had tried not to freak out and think about the fact that it could have been him and Eddie leaving like Bill and Mike were. He's already cried too much for a dead love and his face was beginning to feel waterlogged. Life felt impossible.

Richie was the last one in town for no other reason then he simply couldn't return home knowing that Eddie was dead. He'd spent most of his life not remembering that Eddie was even alive and now it was to late. Why had the universe done such a thing to them? Or had it been the clown in the end? A last supernatural defense of if anyone got away, then they simply could not remember? Fuck Derry and fuck that fucking clown.

It didn't feel right to leave, so Richie remained in Derry without the others knowing. They'd all think it was sad or perhaps crazy if he said anything.In the end he was a pretty good actor and it was easy to trick his friends into thinking he was also leaving. Or maybe they were all too caught up in their own lives to care. Either way, but he had immediate plans of drinking himself into a stupor and then throwing himself off the bridge.

Eddie would have been horrified with that plan, but that was the entire problem. Eddie wasn't here anymore. He could drink a bottle by himself because there was truly no one to complain about it. No voice from the back of his head saying that he shouldn't. Richie's inner consciousness had always sounded exactly like Eddie, even when he hadn't known the man existed. Now the voice was completely silent. He'd never felt so alone.

He took a bottle of vodka to the bridge like a prepared man and started drinking when he got there. The annoyed voice might not be there anymore, but that doesn't mean the Richie can't imagine it. He couldn't bear scorning his man's memory by drunk driving. Funny, that that was the part he didn't want to go through with.

It was going well in the way that Richie was nearly drunk enough halfway through the bottle when a crashing noise suddenly scared Richie. It was too dark to see and he was too drunk to do anything but fall over and screech. The clown was still so fresh on his memory and his stomach twisted from the fear. Richie had to fight not to throw up; he did not want to sober up at all if he was about to be murdered.

Something crashes out of a large sewer pipe opening that was underneath the bridge where Richie had chosen to be. It's now dark enough that Richie can't quite make out the figure beside the fact that it looks very tall and twitchy. And that it was clearly moving towards him at an inhumanly fast speed. Was it even terrifying if Richie was aiming for deaths tonight anyways? Yeah, Richie did not want to be eaten.

Richie closed his eyes, not wanting to see that they had failed. He wanted to die without seeing any more fucking clowns ever again. He tried not to vomit on himself once more because he was about to be eaten and that just seem nasty. What are considerate victim he was. Fucking idiot.

Minutes went by and the only thing that happened was that cold hands patted at Richie's head. He shivered almost pathetically, but did not open his eyes. This had to be some sort of trick, and Richie just wasn't falling for it. He the creature wanted to eat him then fine, but he wasn't going to show weakness by looking at him and crying. That unsurprisingly didn't stop Richie from starting to talk. 

"Could you maybe hurry up and eat me, it's cold out. I left my coat in the sewers." He declared, leaning into the hands that were petting him. It was nice. One last nice thing before a cold and painful death.

"Of course you only brought one fucking jacket, why would you have been prepared in the slightest." A familiar voice answered.

Richie's eyelids flung open so fast he could have lost an eye and then he was looking at a tired and very gross looking Eddie. His heart stopped for a second and Eddie gave him a panicked look, like he was worried if Richie were about die or something. Was this what a heart attack felt like? Cause his heart was thumping harshly and he'd never been this happy to see someone in his entire life. That included when they were seeing each other in that stupid Chinese restaurant at the beginning of all this.

Richie tried to panic and process at the same time, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was a scared and quiet; "Eddie?" Seriously, if his heart beat any faster he was going to throw up. Words were much to hard at the moment.

It (Eddie?) answered him none the less. "Yeah Rich, it's me."

Richie started crying in a loud and drunk sort of way while his hand shot out to clutch at Eddie. Everything sounded right, even that obnoxiously sassy tone that Eddie always managed to have.

"I watched you die!" Richie cried out, hugging Eddie's disproportionate body close to him. It was cold in a way that Eddie definitely should not have been, but Richie didn't care in that moment. This all felt so real. 

"You did Richie, but I'm here now. With you." Eddie insisted, squeezing Richie back just as hard. 

"Don't leave me." Richie murmured, still feeling drunk. What if this was only some sort of hallucination? What if Eddie wasn't really here? 

"I won't I'm here, I promise. Never leaving you ever again Richie." Eddie said sincerely, clutching him even tighter. His body seemed to almost shrink as he became the size that Richie had remembered him to be. Perfect for Richie to cling over him.

Richie sobbed loudly and onto Eddie's cold and disgusting smelling body, this was the first time in a week he felt happy. Even if he woke up in the morning and Eddie wasn't there, he'd have this hug to remember.

"You smell horrible." His mouth said when his brain refused to shut down. He had the nickname trash mouth for a reason.

"Yeah well, you smell like the bottom of a bottle." Eddie argues, but didn't pull away.

"I am only half way through though." Richie couldn't help but answer, like it would help his case.

"Beep beep Richie, what are you doing drinking out here?" Eddie replied instantly, like he didn't even need to think about shushing Richie. That was nice.

Richie snuffled unattractively and tried to wipe up some of his tears. "You were dead Eddie."

"What does that have to do with drinking all the way out here?" Eddie trailed off seemingly figuring things out.

Eddie growled very uncharacteristically at him and suddenly shoved forward, showing way more teeth than he should've had. Richie simply stared at the way his face seem to glitch with anger. Richie didn't feel scared from it; more lethargic than anything else. If Eddie wanted to eat him, then so fucking be it.

"How could you do such a thing? You're mine Rich, you don't get to die, ever. I'm here for you now and you nearly didn't even wait for me." Eddie howled. There was slight struggle between the two of them, were Eddie pushed Richie back and Richie fell over again.

Richie was a bit confused and he felt himself sobering up. The impact from a couple of falls would do that to a person.Was Eddie actually mad at him? "You were dead Eddie, I just wanted to be with you again."

Sharp angry eyes focused on him and then Eddie was hauling him up to his feet like he didn't weigh anything. Maybe he didn't, to whatever this new form Eddie was. Richie was having a hard time deciding if he liked it or not because Eddie was seemingly mad at him.

"It's too cold to be out without a jacket, you need to be safe and warm in bed." He announced, carrying Richie like he was a small child. Was Eddie always the strong, because Richie was it heavy guy. In fact at that moment it seems as though Eddie was twice as tall as he should've been. Was that a bad thing? Richie couldn't even remember if tall stretched limbs were a bad thing. How could it be bad when it meant that Eddie was here with him?

The world spun around Richie and suddenly he was being sat down on his shitty motel bed. No key apparently needed to get into the room. He knew in the back of his head that his car was still parked down at the bridge. Richie trembled and tried not to vomit. 

"There we go, it's much warmer in here. Let me tuck you into bed, you'll feel much better after some sleep." Eddie shushed at Richie's whimpers, petting his face.

"I'm going to vomit." Richie said after a moment of desperately trying not to. Teleportation or whatever the fuck just happened was not good on the stomach. Or maybe it was the too much alcohol. 

"Don't you fucking dare!" Eddie shouted at Richie as he sprinted to the bathroom. He was violently ill into the toilet with Eddie pattering around the room unhelpfully. Having Eddie fret over him was nice in a way that Richie had never been able to image.

"This is what you get for drinking so much Rich, punishment from your body. Don't worry, we'll take much better care of you from now on. Don't you want to experience again, promise." Eddie muttered, fetching him a towel, and circling around for a bottle of water. Nothing like a 8 dollar bottle of water to wash your mouth out with. Richie decided not to say that to Eddie, almost knowing the other would go on and on about the germs involved with rinsing your mouth out with tap water.

He felt exhausted when he was finally done purging and try to rest kneeling on the ground. Tried with the keyword because Eddie just lifted him up in herded him to the sink.

"Brush your teeth and change your clothes so we can sleep a dumbass." Eddie was still growling like he was angry. Richie nodded and turned on the tap water, listening to Eddie growl at him. 

Right, Richie washed his hands like that was what he had planned to do and then picked up the bottle of water and his toothbrush. No sense in making Eddie even more angry after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to July! I spent my Canada day write this chapter so I hope you enjoy it. I really like the way this story turned out.

Richie was tired but still scrubbing his teeth when he glanced back at Eddie. He had never considered himself a needy person, but liked that he could visibly tell Eddie was pleased with him. That was all the validation he needed in the world.

"You should shower, smell like the sewer. Isn't it driving you crazy?" Richie asked a bit confused. Eddie was a really clean person, there was no way he was just going to ignore how gross he was.

"You're driving me crazy, and I can't leave you alone rich. You're on suicide watch." Was Eddy's voice ever going to be not grouchy again?

"I don't need a suicide watch." Richie sniffled indignantly. It was the truth, he didn't now that Eddie was back. 

"What were you doing at the bridge then?" Eddie demanded, coming to stand directly in front Richie again. 

"That's different." Richie mumbles, averting his eyes. Was he really going to make him say it?

"How exactly?" Eddie didn't give an inch, and looked ready to drag answers out of Richie if necessary.

"Because you're here now!" Richie cried out. He'd never been the best at keeping his emotions in check and if Eddie didn't want a bid display of tears, he'd better back down. Richie sniffled and took a deep breath. Why was this so hard?

Eddie's eyes seem to twist around in an unnatural way while he was thinking and then he settled back on Ritchie. A calculating gaze, but not one without deeper emotion. "No, I won't leave you alone yet. You'll have to shower with me."

Any response that Richie had prepared died in his throat. His imagination was sending quick flashes of everything that could be and boy did it look good. Was he ready for that? Everything was moving so very fast.

"But Eddie, showering is naked." That made no sense, but was as good as Richie's brain could do. Eddie snorted in a way that only Eddie ever did when he made a bad joke. Richie grinned back in an automatic response, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"It's okay Rich, naked is okay between us." Eddie soothed, clearly putting it in simple terms for Richie's benefit. What a dick.

"Are you sure?" Richie still found himself asking again, just to be sure. To much consent could never be a bad thing.

"Yeah Richie, you're mine. Naked is fine, besides this way I can help you get clean." Eddie said with a grin, too many teeth present. Richie didn't find he minded, he was gorgeous, teeth and all. 

"Gonna help me scrub it?" He asked with an almost shy smile.

"Yeah babe, in all of your places. You'll be warm and safe and clean. All for me." Eddie answered back on a tone much more serious then Richie's had been. It was a tad bit scary how possessive it was. Or did Richie just shiver because he was turned on? 

"Everything's for you Eddie." That was the truth. No more hiding it.

Eddie started up the shower and drops all of his filthy clothes, at once. Richie's head hurts for a moment afterwards, because there was a blur of too many hands helping. That would certainly be something to get used to.

"You'll have to teach me that stripping technique of yours Eds." Richie jokes, trying not to ask the obvious question. Ed would come out and say it when he was ready, Richie could wait.

"How about I just strip you instead?" 

Eddie grinned out, stepping forward to help. Richie's clothes were off before he had the chance to shit his mouth that had flown open at the suggestion. He didn't even know how, because this time he wisely closed his eyes for that single moment. Upon opening them he wasn't worried either, even as Eddie's eyes hungrily ran down over his body. He was to busy staring at Eddie. 

"You doing okay Richie?" Eddie asked, like he didn't know the jarring movements were making Richie feel a bit sick.

Shit, Richie had to say something else besides admitting that he was motion sick from just watching Eddie. He didn't want Eddie to feel bad. "You're so short, why is your dick so big?"

"Beep beep Richie." Eddie laughed back at him.

"No, I like actually need to know." Richie insisted, liking the way that he'd made Eddie laugh. 

Eddie snorted again and pulled Richie into the shower with him. Richie yelped at the slightly cold temperature, but hot used to it rather quickly. Did Eddie always have showers like this or was he having a hard time feeling hot and cold? How does one even begin to being that up?

"Does it make you happy?" Eddie bantered back cheekily.

So many things were happening at once, the water was strong and a gross layer of muck was finally washing off Eddie. His chest had some purple scarring, but otherwise looked fine. Richie had never felt this happy before.

"Why would the size of your dick make me happy?" Richie almost whispered, brain not making as many connections as it should.

He was a bit distracted because Eddie had picked up a cloth and ran it over Richie's nipple. He tried his best to not moan loudly and make it awkward.

"For sex reasons Ritchie." Ed said like it had been obvious. Had it been?

Richie choked on nothing and grab it ready for balance, how is this happening? Eddie gripped harshly at one of Richie's ass cheeks and his heart beat so fast he thought it might explode.

"For sex reasons." It wasn't a question, Richie was just repeating it to process it better.

"Yeah baby, for sex reasons. You're all mine now after all."

Eddie repeated and chased a finger down Richie's semi-interested cock. Richie moaned out loud at the light touch and buckled into Eddie. Eddie caught him with no problem and held on tightly. When had he even gotten hard?

Okay, that last thought had been a stupid one. He'd been hard sense Eddie had started calling him his. Like seriously, you can't just drop that on a guy and not expect him to pop an erection. 

"What's happening Eds, how are you back?" He asked against all instinct. It was time, he needed to know.

"There was a turtle and he said the cycle had to continue if reality wanted to continue. I said I would do it for you. He liked the idea of there being two, not so sad and lonely that way. You get to be mine for now, for all of forever." Eddie explained. 

Those words Richie found meant very little to him, and went a bit over his head. What did Eddie mean by two? And all of forever seemed like an extremely long time, but if they were together then that would probably be fine.

Richie was sure he would have had said something to say if Eddie hadn't kissed him in that moment. 

Eddie backed up after a moment and Richie could only chase his lips with the whine. He felt needy in a way he never had been before. All Richie's mind would supply himself with was the same stupid thing he has said out loud.

"I've never bottomed before." His face turned bright red and Eddie giggled at him. How embarrassing. 

"Waiting for me were you?" Eddie teased, kissing Richie cheek.

"Fuck off." He grumbled, leaning in almost like he was insisting on another cheek kiss.

"No, I don't think I will." Eddie answered, obliging Richie.

"Good." Richie said, pressing again Eddie.

"Good." Eddie parroted back, pressing kiss after kiss around Richie face. "Stand up on your own so I can wash babe."

"Oh god, I love being called babe." Richie sighed dreamily, doing as he was instructed.

"You would." Eddie laughed.

Eddie let go of him and washed himself with too many hands all at once. Richie watched with an odd expression of both horror and awe, trying to focus his eyes on the spectacle. Eddie had never looked so clean scrub and that was saying something. Richie's head hurt after, but he was already seeming to get used to it.

"Do me next." He said simply.

"Not tonight babe, you've had a long night." Eddie answered cheekily.

"N-no, I mean wash me." Richie stuttered.

"Kinky. Say please." Eddie was just as sassy as ever and Richie loved this.

"Please." Richie answered with zero hesitation.  
Which he says like the shit that he is, wiggling against Eddie. Enjoying the way he full out laughs at his stupidity.

"All right then, close your eyes and just feel my hands on you." Eddie says like he knows everything. And maybe he does.

Richie does as he's told and then there are hands everywhere at once. Washing his hair, groping his ass, holding a hand sweetly and slapping at his thighs. It's a lot and Richie loves it because Eddie is the one doing it. It's over too soon, but Eddie kisses him sweetly on the lips at the end as a reward.

"That was nice Eddie." He says sincerely, smiling at Eddie with all the love he's ever felt.

"I'm glad you liked it Richie, because I'm planning on taking good care of you forever babe."Eddie says and nips at Richies shoulder with a mouth that shouldn't have been able to open that wide. 

Richie moans in a way that he has never before. It's high and dirty. The best part is that he can tell that Eddie loves it. Eddie's hand makes it's way back down to his ass and just gently pats. More reassuring then hot, but Richie loves it anyways.

"Now, now Rich save that for another day. They'll be plenty of time for that in the future. I just have to prepare first because it might make me really hungry for you. Don't have supplies for either of us here. Want to be ready Richie." Eddie explains as he nuzzles into Richie like he might be reconsidering his own words. 

It's easy for Richie to believe that Eddie knows what's best but that doesn't mean he's happy about it. He pays no mind to whatever Eddie means about being hungry. He's already accepted it, everyone needs to have a food source. It's fine because it'll keep Eddie with him. Nothing else fucking matters. Morals went out the fucking window when he had to live those days without Eddie by his side.

They leave the shower tangled up in one another and Eddie is his actual size for once. Richie fines he likes him in all shapes and sizes, because this shit isn't a crush it's fucking love.

"I'll have to buy a house, because I know the seedy motel has been bothering you since we arrived." Richie murmured, making plans for them. It was fine if they never left Derry again, but he wasn't staying in the sewer.

"Gonna be a good house wife for me while Daddy brings home the meat?" Eddie snickers, and licks Richie ear. 

"God Ed's, know you're just joking around, but stop it. You're gonna make me cum." Ritchie says almost quietly. They hadn't even talked about kinks yet, was he that obvious of a person?

Eddie looks very interestingly invested in the conversation all the sudden and he gets a dark look in his eye. Richie quickly finds out that he very much likes that glint.

"Yeah babe, do you like the thought of me coming home to you with fresh meat. Cutting off a piece and hand feeding you well I prep you for my cock?" Eddie growled in a much different way then he'd growled previously at Richie. Almost like he was turned on and his words couldn't help but roll off his tongue like that. Fuck, Richie wanted every messed up a little bit that Eddie would give him and more.

"Fuck Ed, I want it so bad." Richie admitted easily while Eddie padded him over with a towel. It wasn't that soft and Richie couldn't wait to have an argument with Eddie about something stupid like buying towels. Eddie dried himself off next and pushed Richie towards the bed.

"If you beg nicely, I'll make you come before we sleep." Eddie stated simply to Richie like he wasn't setting his blood on fire. 

Richie splayed himself out on the bed and looked up at Eddie. This new slightly scary looking Eddie has sharp teeth that he's not afraid to display. He looks glorious staring down at him.

"I missed you so much Eds." Richie says because it's the truth.

"Don't call me that."

"I love you." Richie tries instead.

"I came back from the dead for you. One would say I became a monster for you." Eddie answers, letting his hand trail over Richie's body. Eddie was winning their little game, but Richie wasn't surprised. Eddie always won.

"And I'm so happy you're here Eddie. So happy to be yours." Richie had previously told himself that he wasn't going to cry, but a single tear still escaped him. Technically it was happy tear, so that didn't count.

Eddie hunched over him with all those teeth and the literal biggest smile Ritchie had ever seen. "Mine." 

"Forever."

"Forever." They both confirmed and sealed with a kiss.

"Please touch me Eddie, I've needed you my whole life. Don't make me wait any longer just for a touch." Ritchie begged in a whiny tone. 

He gasped loudly when almost sharp fingers touch the sensitive skin that was his hard cock. He moaned whoreishly when Eddie pulled at his pubic hair. It felt lovely. It got even better when Eddie started talking.

"So good for me Rich; look at you squirm for it. Next time we'll have proper supplies and I'll finger fuck that little hole of yours. Thrust up into my hand baby, let me take good care of you."

The words seemed endless and had so much intent all at once. Richie whimpered as he gyrated his hips upward into Eddie's slightly slack hand. It felt just as good as he had always pictured it feeling. Richie was going to last approximately 30 seconds like this, but that was fine. Eddie wouldn't judge him.

Slicking fingers twisted and a nail delicately traced the tiny slit of Richie's dick. Thing felt so amazing and real for the first time in Richie's life. What had he even been doing before this? What had been the point? It wasn't long before he was right at the edge and gasping for it.

"Eddie I'm so close." He admitted, moaning and tossing his head back.

"Cum Ritchie, cum all over my fucking hand." That's all it took because apparently Richie was great at following orders. He cried out loudly as Eddie stroked him through it.

"Yes. Very good. You're so good." Eddie chanted it towards his nearly whited out face. 

They kissed once more and Eddie was quick to wipe away the mess with the towels they had previously used. Richie stayed laying down and was pleased when Eddie joined him on the bed. Eddie elongated his body to curl for fully around Ritchie in a protective manner and kiss at the nape of his neck. Richie hummed at Eddie's sleepy snuffling, now very much ready to sleep.

"What about you?" He asked sleepily. 

"Another time Rich; you need to sleep." Eddie says with a bit of a huff. There's no erection pressed up against Richie but he knows Eddie is turned on. He's just smart enough to have figured out how to hide it already. Or something like that.

"Promise you'll hump against me as we sleep?" Richie says with a yawn.

"Beep beep Ritchie." They fell asleep curled up together; the monster and his (has not quite realized) immortal love. Just as it always should be.


End file.
